Business, general

Gates, in speech, to outline strategy for PC programs that adapt to users

Article Abstract:

Microsoft Chmn and CEO Bill Gates will outline the company's software development plans during his keynote speech at the 1995 Fall Comdex trade show in Las Vegas. Gates will contend that the next big innovation for software applications will be toward programs that provide behind-the-scenes help for users. For example, Gates says that some applications could use a technology called natural-language processing to search the Internet for documents or video clips based on a user-provided keyword. Gates refutes claims by some industry analysts that the software application market's growth is slowing. Microsoft receives the majority of its profits from applications rather than its more high-profile operating systems. Some of Microsoft's competitors are encouraged by signs that the company will pursue an open-architecture strategy for its Internet products, but others believe that Microsoft's words are not reflected in its actions.

Software makers are developing ways to make their programs more polyglot

Article Abstract:

Software publishers are developing ways to release software across the world in different languages on the same day. Most US developers currently release a US English version for US computer keyboards and then spend months translating the software into French, German, Japanese and other languages. Over 200 employees at Lotus Development Corp help translate software. Companies also claim that the translation process costs a sizeable amount. The main problems stem from different numbers of characters in alphabets and different characters in alphabets. Some companies are trying to develop software that is designed to accommodate any language with fill-in-the-blank options late in development. Some analysts believe that this will slow down the software's speed.